Breezing Through Customs
Landing in Majuro was not so much the end as the beginning. The boy and his “father” — Rodger Cotting — were finally there, safe and sound. In a tactical sense, one more hurdle remained: passing through Majuro Immigration. As a known entity, Rodger Cotting apparently faced only routine questions, easily answered. (I say “apparently” because there is no Court or other Official Record I’ve found that says anything one way or the other).
The biggest question — one that others “on the chase” endlessly speculated about — was whether Cotting carried a copy of Scotty’s birth certificate. Though not strictly necessary — the need for the birth cert came when it was time to leave Majuro — it seems likely, if for no other reason than that he’d need it later on — whatever that meant. In any case, it was soon time for “meet and greet.” Over the next day or so, the shy boy experienced a one-by-one introduction to his borrowed family. Let’s meet them…
Meet the Family
By late February, 1978, Rodger and Marie had four children. Their first born was Bruce; he was fifteen going on sixteen when Scotty arrived. His sister Dora was fourteen, brother Reuben was thirteen and Michelle, the “baby,” was ten. Scotty, on the other hand, would celebrate his fifth birthday on the ground, in Majuro. To say there was an “age gap” between these two families is an understatement. The good news, in the short-term at least, was the Scotty’s dad was only days behind him — three days, to be exact. Most intriguing, he wouldn’t stay long. His was the quintessential “business trip.” Translation: Neil Mackay was apparently “busy” trying to arrange a hasty adoption for his son. It was a theme, I guess, that started with Scotty’s paternal uncle and made it another two thousand miles across the Pacific. That said, there Mackay was, first vehemently against adoption… and now apparently for it. It’s all about who benefits, right?
Happy Birthday?
Yes, and then there’s Scotty’s birthday. It seems as though Neil Mackay almost forgot about it. Or, giving him the benefit of the doubt, he’d overlooked it. Too much going on and all that. Which perhaps explains why, according to an Anchorage Times article, Scotty’s father went to some lengths to make that momentous event something worth remembering [1]. In Neil Mackay’s telling, it almost sounded normal.
"Scotty celebrated his fifth birthday March 11 -- Sunday in Majuro and Saturday here -- and Mackay said he held a large party for him. "He had a Spider Man cake... and we had apple dunking and sack races for the children," he said. Mackay said several families attended the party. "It's a custom here." [...]
[Mackay] said he left Majuro on the next available flight after Scotty's birthday. He said his son, who reportedly knew he was leaving, asked him to stay for his birthday. "He told me: 'Dad, if you're not here for my birthday, it's not a birthday'," Mackay said.
Words Left Unsaid
Unfortunately, the details of what went on with the Cotting’s still shimmer in the shadows. There was a court proceeding, but… Records were sealed. What I’d like to know is whether Rodger Cotting informed his wife of Scotty Mackay’s imminent arrival. Given her strong Catholic faith, I cannot imagine that she did not know. Or, more to the point, that she insisted on knowing. Her role on the ground was, after all, going to be absolutely crucial. What we do know is what she — or rather her lawyer — told the Marshall Islands court in a petition for a Protective Order, on March 17, 1978, just days after Scotty’s fifth birthday:
Scotty entered the Marshall Islands and the jurisdiction of this court under the custody of his natural father, Neil S. Mackay, who has relinquished the said custody to Petitioner [Marie Cotting], and who is no longer within the jurisdiction of the Court; through no fault of his own, Scotty has been made the subject of an international custody dispute, involving, among others, his natural father, his paternal aunt and uncle, his maternal aunt and uncle and the courts of Alaska and Hawaii.
Because of the custody dispute centered around Scotty, there may be interference with Petitioner's care, custody and control over Scotty by persons seeking to advance the claims to Scotty of persons other than Petitioner.
Interference with Scotty by persons other than either Petitioner or Neil S. MacKay, his natural father, will be detrimental to his health and well-being and may cause him permanent and irreparable physical and emotional harm.
So let’s parse that: Marie Cotting stood behind some strongly worded expressions, while Neil Mackay was in town just long enough to make it seem real. He left just as quickly as he arrived, so quickly that it was evident he didn’t want anyone to think it through. And here’s the rub: for Marie Barcinas Cotting to confidently gain custody of Scotty, her Petition for Protective Order had to sound dire warnings. In that, it succeeded completely.
To my ear, this language sounds suspiciously like something Neil Mackay would say. Whatever the case, it serves as a judicial slap across the face of all concerned. Take that Alaska and Hawaii. Take that paternal aunt and uncle. Oh, and you too, maternal aunt and uncle. Hey, while we’re at it… Take that, cruel world!
[1] Neil S. Mackay was jailed by Hawaiian authorities shortly after his return to Honolulu. At least eleven informants, including multiple law enforcement officers, were scattered throughout the airport, waiting for him to arrive. Robert Wagstaff, quoted in an April 14, 1978 Anchorage Times, article, noted that “Mackay holds the key to his own release. My understanding is that he’s being held in jail for contempt of court. If he produces Scotty he’ll get out of jail.”
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Copyright Leland E. Hale (2026)